Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Computer Assistance for Sustainable Building Design

  • Conference paper
Intelligent Computing in Engineering and Architecture (EG-ICE 2006)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 4200))

Abstract

The greatest opportunity for sustainable building design strategies occur in the early stages of design when the most important decisions are taken. Nevertheless, it is the stage with the least computer support. This paper presents recent research efforts at ETS toward the long term goal of developing the next generation of computer assistance to designers of sustainable buildings. Two research thrusts are presented: (1) to provide assistance to designers earlier in the design process, and (2) to provide better means to support collaboration among the various stakeholders. Two research projects are briefly presented that belong to the first thrust: an approach that allows structural engineers to propose feasible structural systems earlier directly from architectural sketches; and another that provides a means to optimize aspects of a building selected by the designer. A new laboratory is presented that will provide the infrastructure to carry out research in the second thrust.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. IPCC: Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. In: Houghton, J.T., et al. (eds.) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Tucker, S.N., Ambrose, M.D., Johnston, D.R., Newton, P.W., Seo, S., Jones, D.G.: LCADesign. In: Amor, R. (ed.) Proceedings of the CIB W78 20th Int’l Conf. on IT for Construction, Waiheke Island, New Zealand, CIB Report: Publication 284, pp. 403–412 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  3. NRCAN: Energy Efficiency Trends in Canada, 1990 to 2001, Natural Resources Canada (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bourdeau, L., Huovila, P., Lanting, R., Gilham, A.: Sustainable Development and the Future of Construction, CIB Working Commission W82, CIB Report, Publ. 225 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Baouendi, R., Rivard, H., Zmeureanu, R.: Use of Life-Cycle Assessment Tools During the Design of Green Buildings. In: Müller, F., Naylor, T. (eds.) 4th Conference of the Canadian Society for Ecological Economics, p. 46. McGill School of Environment, Montreal (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kam, C., Fischer, M., Hänninen, R., Karjalainen, A., Laitinen, J.: The product model and Fourth Dimension project. ITcon 8, 137–166 (2003), http://www.itcon.org/2003/12

  7. Rivard, H., Fenves, S.J.: A Representation for Conceptual Design of Buildings. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering 14(3), 151–159 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Mora, R., Rivard, H., Bédard, C.: A Computer Representation to Support Conceptual Structural Design within a Building Architectural Context. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering 20(2), 76–87 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Fenves, S.J., Rivard, H., Gomez, N.: SEED-Config: A Tool for Conceptual Structural Design in a Collaborative Building Design Environment. Artificial Intelligence in Engineering 14(3), 233–247 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Meniru, K., Rivard, H., Bédard, C.: Specifications for Computer-Aided Conceptual Building Design. International Journal of Design Studies 24(1), 51–71 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Meniru, K., Rivard, H., Bédard, C.: Digitally Capturing Design Solutions. In: Rivard, Miresco, Melhem (eds.) Proceedings of the Joint International Conference in Computing and Decision Making in Civil and Building Conference, Montreal, Canada, June 14-16 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Mora, R., Rivard, H., Bédard, C.: Computer-Aided Conceptual Design of Building Structures – Geometric Modeling for the Synthesis Process. In: Gero, J. (ed.) First International Conference on Design Computing and Cognition, July 19-21, pp. 27–55. Kluwer Academic Pub., held at MIT, Boston (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Gomez, N.: Conceptual Structural Design Through Knowledge Hierarchies. Ph.D. Thesis, Dept. of Civil Eng., Carnegie Mellon University (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Parent, S., Rivard, H., Mora, R.: Acquisition and Modeling of Conceptual Structural Design Knowledge. In: Rivard, Miresco, Melhem (eds.) Proceedings of the Joint International Conference in Computing and Decision Making in Civil and Building Conference, Montreal, Canada, June 14-16 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Leclercq, P.: Interpretative Tool for Architectural Sketches. In: Gero, J.S., Tversky, B. (eds.) Int’l. Conference on Visual and Spatial Reasoning in Design, pp. 69–80. MIT, Cambridge (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Mora, R., Juchmes, R., Rivard, H., Leclercq, P.: From Archictectural Sketches to Feasible Structural Systems. In: Gero, J.S. (ed.) 2nd International Conference on Design Computing and Cognition, Technical University of Eindhoven (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Soibelman, L., Peña-Mora, F.: Distributed Multi-Reasoning Mechanism to Support Conceptual Structural Design. Journal of Structural Engineering 126(6), 733–742 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Kumar, B., Raphael, B.: CADREM: A Case-based System for Conceptual Structural Design. Engineering with Computers 13(3), 153–164 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Eisfeld, M., Scherer, R.: Assisting Conceptual Design of Building Structures by an Interactive Description Logic Based Planner. Advanced Engineering Informatics 17, 41–57 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Grierson, D.E., Khajehpour, S.: Method for conceptual design applied to office buildings. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering 16(2), 83–103 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Sisk, G.M., Miles, J.C., Moore, C.J.: Designer centered development of GA-based DSS for conceptual design of buildings. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering 17(3), 159–166 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Rafiq, M.Y., Mathews, J.D., Bullock, G.N.: Conceptual building design–Evolutionary approach. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering 17(3), 150–158 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Packam, I.S.J., Rafiq, M.Y., Borthwick, M.F., Denham, S.L.: Interactive visualization for decision support and evaluation of robustness in theory and practice. Advanced Engineering Informatics 19(4), 263–280 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Miles, J.C., Cen, M., Taylor, M., Bouchlaghem, N.M., Anumba, C.J., Shang, H.: Linking sketching and constraint checking in early conceptual design. In: Beucke, K., et al. (eds.) 10th Int. Conf. on Computing in Civil & Building Eng., p. 11 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Rosenman, M.A., Gero, J.S.: Evolving designs by generating useful complex gene structures. In: Bentley, P.J. (ed.) Evolutionary Design by Computers, pp. 345–364. Morgan Kaufmann, San Francisco (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Caldas, L.: Evolving three-dimensional architecture form: An application to low-energy design. In: Gero, J.S. (ed.) Artificial Intelligence in Design 2002, pp. 351–370. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Chouchoulas, O.: Shape evolution: An algorithmic method for conceptual architectural design combining shape grammars and genetic algorithms. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Bath, UK (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Bouchlaghem, N.: Optimizing the design of building envelopes for thermal performance. Automation in Construction 10(1), 101–112 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Peippo, K., Lund, P.D., Vartiainen, E.: Multivariate optimization of design trade-offs for solar low energy buildings. Energy and Building 29(2), 189–205 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Jedrzejuk, H., Marks, W.: Optimization of shape and functional structure of buildings as well as heat source utilization: Partial problems solution. Building and Environment 37(11), 1037–1043 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Wang, W., Rivard, H., Zmeureanu, R.: An Object-Oriented Framework for Simulation-Based Green Building Design Optimization with Genetic Algorithms. Journal of Advanced Engineering Informatics 19(1), 5–23 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Wang, W., Zmeureanu, R., Rivard, H.: Applying Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithms in Green Building Design Optimization. Building and Environment 40(11), 1512–1525 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Wang, W., Rivard, R., Zmeureanu, R.: Floor Shape Optimization for Green Building Design. Journal of Advanced Engineering Informatics (in press, 2006)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Finnveden, G.: Methods for describing and characterizing resource depletion in the context of life cycle assessment. Technical Report. Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Moran, M.J.: Availability analysis: a guide to efficient energy use. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Szargut, J., Morris, D.R., Steward, F.R.: Exergy analysis of thermal, chemical, and metallurgical process. Hemisphere Publishing, New York (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Cornelissen, R.L.: Thermodynamics and sustainable development—the use of exergy analysis and the reduction of irreversibility. Ph.D. Thesis. Laboratory of Thermal Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Cera, C.D., Regli, W.C., Braude, I., Shapirstein, Y., Foster, C.V.: A Collaborative 3D Environment for Authoring Design Semantics. IEEE Computer Grapics and Applications, 43–55 (May 2002)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Pena-Mora, F., Dwivedi, G.H.: Multiple Device Collaborative and Real Time Analysis System for Project Management in Civil Engineering. ASCE, Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering 16(1), 23–38 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Cooper, S., Taleb-Bendiab, A.: CONCENSUS: Multi-Party Negotiation Support for Conflict Resolution in Concurrent Engineering Design. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing 9(2), 155–159 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Adelson, B.: Developing Strategic Alliances: A Framework for Collaborative Negotiation in Design. Research in Engineering Design 11(3), 133–144 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Fruchter, R.: AEC Teamwork: A Collaborative Design and Learning Space. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering 13(4), 261–269 (1999)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  43. Liston, K., Fischer, M., Winograd, T.: Focused Sharing of Information for Multidisciplinary Decision Making by Project Teams. ITcon 6, 69–82 (2001), http://www.itcon.org/2001/6

  44. Anumba, C.J., Duke, A.K.: Telepresence in Concurrent Lifecycle Design and Construction. Artificial Intelligence in Engineering 14, 221–232 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Construction Engineering, École de technologie supérieure (ETS), Canada Research Chair in Computer-Aided Engineering for Sustainable Building Design, 1100 Notre-Dame Street West, Montreal, H3C 1K3, Canada

    Hugues Rivard

Authors
  1. Hugues Rivard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 18, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Ian F. C. Smith

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Rivard, H. (2006). Computer Assistance for Sustainable Building Design. In: Smith, I.F.C. (eds) Intelligent Computing in Engineering and Architecture. EG-ICE 2006. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 4200. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/11888598_51

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/11888598_51

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-46246-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-46247-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics